MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Milwaukee volleyball team had opportunities each set but just could not close out and fell to UIC 3-1 on Tuesday afternoon.
 
"UIC is a good team. When you play a team back-to-back like we are this season, the goal is obviously to learn and get better on day two," head coach Susie Johnson said. "I don't feel like we performed better today but they did. We were right there each set but just did not finish."
 
The Flames (7-1, 7-1 Horizon League) got out to a hot start offensively, hitting .419 in the first set with 16 kills and just three errors to pull ahead in the match 1-0.
 
As they did yesterday, the Panthers bounced back with an impressive performance in the second. The two teams battled to nine ties before Kaley Blake served up back-to-back aces to put MKE on top 18-16.
 
The Panthers (4-4, 4-4 Horizon League) build their lead to four before a UIC kill cut the gap to 21-18. Milwaukee then capitalized on late UIC errors to score the next four points and take the frame 25-18.
 
The Flames controlled the third early by as many as five, but the Panthers climbed back behind a pair of kills from Kleja Cerniauskaite and another from Abby Koenen to tie at 13-13.
 
Another UIC error and Koenen service ace had Milwaukee up 16-14, but the Flames stormed back. Tied 17-17, UIC notched five straight kills to pull ahead 22-17. From there, the Panthers could not recover and UIC grabbed a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
Milwaukee recorded 15 kills in the fourth, its most in the match, but did not capitalize on available opportunities as UIC built a four-point lead at 18-14. Carmen Heilemann put away a kill to get MKE within two but that was as close as the Panthers would come as the Flames took the set 25-19 to earn the series split.
 
Koenen led the offense with a career-high 16 kills and added six digs. Heilemann put away 12 kills while Ari Miller also reached double figures with 10.
 
Blake and Riley Vaughn each recorded a double-double. Blake totaled 22 assists and 12 digs while Vaughn finished with 24 and 14.
 
Jess Grabowski finished with a team-high 15 digs and for Milwaukee.
 
"This time off will give us some more time to practice and opportunities to train," Johnson said. "We just now need to prepare ourselves for Northern Kentucky."
 
The Panthers have a bye next weekend and will return to action on March 8-9 as they head to Highland Heights, Kentucky to face Northern Kentucky. Live coverage for both matches can be found on MKEPanthers.com.